"We have decided to use a friend to act as our landlord since we were not sure what kind of a reference you would provide."
Here is the timeline with Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton currently residing at 2033 S. 75th St. in West Allis, Wisconsin 53219.
- In mid August 2015 after not receiving rent, I contacted Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton to determine whether rent had been mailed. I received a resonse from Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton the same day. "Oh, did you not receive it? We mailed it," Since they "paid" in the form of money orders they asked if I wanted them to investigate the "lost" money orders. I told them that I did indeed want them to look into it.
- A few days later I inquired as to the status of the "investigation" regarding the money orders and requested that Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton send me a text photo of the money order recepits. Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton informed me that they had taken a photo, but it was on a cell phone that had become lost, broken, or replaced. I asked that they send me copies of the money order receipts they currently had, and Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton of West Allis, Wisconsin informed me that they had mailed the original documents to the money order provider to investigate their whereabouts.
- Toward the end of August I again requested a status update from Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton regarding the "lost" money orders. At that time Anita Bruton came clean and informed me that in July of 2015 Tom Bruton had lost his job and that they could no longer afford to live there. Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton clearly lied and there never were any money orders to speak of.
- On or around the beginning of September of 2015 I served via certified mail a 5-Day Pay Or Quit notice, which Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton did in fact receive. I was informed after receipt that Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton were seeking residence elsewhere and that they would inform me as soon as they knew something when they would be vacating the property at 2033 S. 75th St., West Allis, Wisconsin.
- Around the middle of September Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton informed me that the hot tub had stopped working. As they were not paying rent and had no right to residence, I told them to simply shut it off.
- Toward the end of September 2015 Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton of West Allis informed that they would be vacating the premises around October 15th of 2015.
- A few days prior to October 15th I contacted Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton to determine their status so that I could arrange to inspect and prepare to prep the property to put it back onto the market. They responded back that they were unable to find a place available for this date and they would give me another status update toward the end of October 2015.
- I inquired with Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton why I had not gotten any calls from any potential landlords and was informed by Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton that they were not using me for a reference, but instead were having a friend stand in to "act" as their landlord since they felt I would not provide a good reference. Makes me wonder who I spoke with when I vetted them before I provided Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton tenancy at 2033 S. 75th St.
- On or around the last week of November of 2015 Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton contacted me to let me know that Tom Bruton had found a new job, and asked that if they paid all of their arrears over time and paid regular rent in December of 2015 if they could stay. I worked out the details of the "arrangement" and agreed that they could stay if they honored their commitments.
- Two days later Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton informed me that the furnace had stopped working. "The furnace is not working. It's cooolllddd in here... (smiley face emoticon). Having the strong suspicion that their "arrangement" offered two days prior was a ploy, and that they knew the furnace was already not working, and that they thought the arrangement would encourage me to fix their heat, I declined an offer to fix the furnace and informed the tenants that they would have to have the furnace serviced at their expense, and that I would not reimburse them the cost until the first of the installments according to the arrangement were fulfilled. Anita Bruton wrote back in all caps, "THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!!" I responded back that considering the circumstances, and the fact that I had not received rent for the past 3 months at that time, that my only responsibility was to evict them.
- A couple of days later I told the tenants I would be in town and would make an "emergency entry" into the property to protect my asset considering winter weather is an issue for freezing pipes, Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton hastily sent me a copy of a service receipt for the furnace repairs. I cancelled the "emergency entry."
- On about the second week of December of 2015 I contacted Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton to inquire as to the status of our "arrangement," as rent had not been received as well as no arrears. I received no response. I sent another text the following day and also left a voicemail. No response. A day later I did the same. No response.
- On or around the 3rd week I told Anita Bruton and Tom Bruton I suspected they had lied to me once again. As my last mortgage payment was made in October of 2015 for a variety of personal reasons regarding the property, I added, "Enjoy your stay until the bank evicts you." I received no response on that either.
To be continued...
